# 投机取巧

tóu jī qǔ qiǎo

Seek advantage through shortcuts and tricks

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Exploit opportunities and obtain through clever shortcuts

**Traditional Chinese:** 投機取巧

**Register:** Critical · expressive

[Choices & judgment](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/decisions)

## When to use it

Criticize evading honest effort or rules.

Efficient methods are not automatically cheating.

## Understanding the expression

The person looks for an advantage without doing the work or accepting the standards normally required. The expression often describes manipulating a loophole, gaming an exam, or using superficial tricks to appear capable. It has a negative tone. A genuinely efficient method can be excellent, so the distinction lies in whether the shortcut preserves the purpose and fairness of the task. Cleverness becomes objectionable when it conceals weakness or shifts costs onto others.

## Examples

别靠投机取巧通过考试。

### Traditional Chinese

別靠投機取巧通過考試。

bié kào tóu jī qǔ qiǎo tōng guò kǎo shì 。

Do not use dishonest shortcuts to pass the exam.

他投机取巧，伪造了工时。

### Traditional Chinese

他投機取巧，偽造了工時。

tā tóu jī qǔ qiǎo ， wěi zào le gōng shí 。

He tried to gain an advantage by falsifying work hours.

她认真练习，不愿投机取巧。

### Traditional Chinese

她認真練習，不願投機取巧。

tā rèn zhēn liàn xí ， bú yuàn tóu jī qǔ qiǎo 。

She practiced seriously rather than relying on tricks.

投机取巧可能暂时得利，却损害信誉。

### Traditional Chinese

投機取巧可能暫時得利，卻損害信譽。

tóu jī qǔ qiǎo kě néng zàn shí dé lì ， què sǔn hài xìn yù 。

Tricks may bring a temporary gain but damage trust.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 6, 2026.

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E6%8A%95%E6%A9%9F%E5%8F%96%E5%B7%A7)

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1007&webMd=1&la=0)

## Keep exploring

- [偷天换日 tōu tiān huàn rì Deceive through a major concealed substitution ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tou-tian-huan-ri)

- [退避三舍 tuì bì sān shè Keep well away or yield to avoid conflict ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tui-bi-san-she)

- [拖泥带水 tuō ní dài shuǐ Be wordy, hesitant, or unnecessarily drawn out ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tuo-ni-dai-shui)

- [唾手可得 tuò shǒu kě dé Be obtainable with very little effort ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tuo-shou-ke-de)

## Keep this one close.

Save useful idioms, read offline, and revisit them with flashcards in Almanac.

[View on the App Store ](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6819590452)

[Previous idiom 同舟共济 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tong-zhou-gong-ji) [Next idiom 投其所好 ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/tou-qi-suo-hao)